Consensus: No (real) Apple tablet at this year’s iPod event

Been waiting and waiting for some new “insider” to step forward, but it seems everyone is onboard with the report that Apple’s iPod event on September 9th (09/09/09) will not introduce the mythic tablet. Guess this means we won’t see one until next year (or the year after that, or two years later, etc., etc.) At least not a real one.

In the meantime, might I suggest checking out Gizmodo’s mockup contest for showing the Apple Tablet being used in real life. There are a few entries from the usual haters of Apple, Microsoft, and/or tablets, but many are insightful and true-to-life (sadly in some cases). I particularly like #53 (shown here), which I interpret as a hopeful harbinger of the Apple Tablet helping the original Tablet PC vision come to pass (but may have been created as a slam).

As far as what will be at this event, safe money is on the well-predicted new models of iPod touch and nano with cameras and increased storage and a new version of iTunes sporting that rumored Cocktail functionality. Wish I could be excited, but the anticipation has long built and is now long passed. Hope they roll out something unexpected even if it’s not a tablet (though a tablet would be ideal).